Topic: DVD burning on a Mac (Read 5249 times)

skibum187 · « **on:** November 22, 2006, 12:06:13 pm »

So here's my problem... I own a quad core G5 which has a Pioneer DVR 110D installed. From day 1 I couldn't get the DVD burner to burn at any speed over 1x when burning DVDs, but CDs would write at 16x. Finally got frustrated with it and called our local Mac retailer. What they told me was that Macs will only "recognize" Apple's own DVD-Rs, thus allowing them to burn at 8x, but all other DVD media was "unrecognized" and thus burns at 1x. Ok, fine, but Apple DVD's are more than twice as expensive as what I'm currently using and still more expensive than my new MAM-A Gold Archive DVD-Rs.
I know there are quite a few people on here using Macs so I'm sure I'm not the only one who has run into this problem. So, has anybody found any other company's DVD-Rs that will burn at full speed on a Mac? What I'm currently using are Verbatim and MAM-A DVDs.

John.Murray · « **Reply #1 on:** November 22, 2006, 01:02:51 pm »

You might want to check/upgrade the firmware on the drive. According to this info, most DVD formats are supported:

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Sp...ArticleId=14845

hope this helps

Andy M · « **Reply #2 on:** November 22, 2006, 01:25:50 pm »

Have you tried using an app such as Toast 7 Titanium?

http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/toast/ti...m/overview.html

I use Toast 6 and have never had such problems

Christopher Sanderson · « **Reply #3 on:** November 22, 2006, 02:40:10 pm »

Ditto above. NP with Toast!

Using Toast 6 - burns a 4G DVD in about 5 minutes - using bulk spindled Verbatim media

francois · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2006, 03:06:43 am »

Quote

...What they told me was that Macs will only "recognize" Apple's own DVD-Rs, thus allowing them to burn at 8x, but all other DVD media was "unrecognized" and thus burns at 1x....

Nonsense! I have a Pioneer DVR-110 (firmware 1.37) in one of my Macs and it never refused to burn DVDs at high speed. Either you got a bad batch of DVDs, or your firmware needs updating or your burner is defective.

Try with Toast and keep us posted.

skibum187 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 27, 2006, 12:15:14 pm »

Quote

Nonsense! I have a Pioneer DVR-110 (firmware 1.37) in one of my Macs and it never refused to burn DVDs at high speed. Either you got a bad batch of DVDs, or your firmware needs updating or your burner is defective.

Try with Toast and keep us posted.
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Same problem with Toast... I think it's the Firmware... has anybody out there updated the firmware on a DVD-R in a Mac? I've looked around and according to some websites I've found, you have to remove the drive, stick it in a PC, make a boot up disk, reboot (or flash) the firmware and then stick it back in the Mac.... and I really don't want to have to do that. Anybody know otherwise?

plugsnpixels · « **Reply #6 on:** November 27, 2006, 12:56:04 pm »

It's been about 2 years since I installed a Pioneer DVR-108 in my G4 tower at home, but I've been using it ever since to burn piles of CDs and DVDs using Toast, which I keep updated, at the fast speeds described by others here, using various name-brand media.

This setup burns discs much faster than newer Intel and G5 iMacs!

As for updating the firmware, I did do this on the G4. You can use Stuffit from within OS-X to unstuff the Windows installer, and get to the parts inside. It's not a pretty process, but it works. I learned how to do it by Googling. I have the directions archived on a CD and need to dig it out... It may be there is even newer firmware since my last attempt.

msbc · « **Reply #7 on:** November 27, 2006, 07:31:04 pm »

Quote

Same problem with Toast... I think it's the Firmware... has anybody out there updated the firmware on a DVD-R in a Mac? I've looked around and according to some websites I've found, you have to remove the drive, stick it in a PC, make a boot up disk, reboot (or flash) the firmware and then stick it back in the Mac.... and I really don't want to have to do that. Anybody know otherwise?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=87376\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, this drive can be flashed from a Mac - I have done it to mine. Go here (http://lasvegas.rpc1.org/) to get the DVRFlash utility for Mac and go here (http://tdb.rpc1.org/#DVR110D) to get the latest firmware.

plugsnpixels · « **Reply #8 on:** November 27, 2006, 07:57:05 pm »

Good job, msbc! This app and info must have appeared since I last searched for it.

Author Topic: DVD burning on a Mac (Read 5249 times)